Method and apparatus for forming bobbins and the like



W. F. STAHL May 8, 1945.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING BOBBINS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 15, 1942 Patented May 8, 1945 I OFFICE 2,375,704 Ma'rnon ANDAPPABATUS non FORMING BOBBINS AND THE LIKE 1 William F. Stahl, Evanston, Ill.- Application October '15, 1942, Serial No. 462,076

6 Claims.

This invention'relates to a method and apparatus for forming bobbins and the like, and more particularly'for forming bobbins having tubular cores and centrally-apertured' flanges at the ends thereof, with the flanges locked in position on the ends of the bobbin by outwardly-swaged core ends and by annular ribs on the core immediately adjacent the flanges.

An object of the invention is to provide in a method for forming bobbins and the like, a single operation in which the ends of the core may be outwardly swaged to lock the flanges on the core, and annular ribs formed in the core immediately adjacent the flanges and on the sides thereof opposite to the sides which engage the swaged ends. Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for applying pressure simultaneously to both ends of a core having flanges disposed thereon adjacent the ends thereof, the pressure being exerted outwardly and also toward the longitudinal center of the core. object is to support against outward expansion the central portion of the core disposed between the flanges and spaced inwardly therefrom so that when the ends of the core are simultaneously swaged, a small rib or projection will be formed at each end of the core between the flange and the portion which is supported against outward expansion.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for releasably supporting thecentral portion of the core of a bobbin orthe like, the portion being disposed between the end flanges on the core and spaced therefrom, and to simultaneously outwardly swage the ends of the core and, in the swaging operation, to apply to the ends of the core a pressure toward the longitudinal center of the core. A further object is to provide a bobbin construction in which the end flanges are securely locked in position on the core against longitudinal movement in either direction.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following specification and drawing, in whicha Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bobbin illustrating the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the bobbin in position in the apparatus Ior supporting the central portion of the core against outward expansion; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 3'3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to the View of Fig. 3 but showing the forming of the ribs in the core; and Fig. 5 is a Yet another longitudinalsectional view of the bobbin shown in Fig. 1. v

The invention contemplates the locking of flanges in position at the ends of the core or the bobbin by outwardly swaging the ends of the core to engage one side of each flange and by forming a rib or projection on the other side of each flange. In a single operation, the ends of the core are swaged and the projections or ribs are formed on the core. In the embodiment of the invention described herein, the bobbin ID includes a tubular core II and end flanges I :2 and I3. The core I I may be made of laminated paper strips and may be rectangular in cross section shape as illustrated, or, if desired, may be polygonal or circular in cross section shape. As used herein, the term tubular is intended to include polygonal and circular tubular shapes.

The flanges i2 and I3 -may be rectangular in' shape, as illustrated, and may be provided with central rectangular apertures l4 and I5. The flanges may also be circular or any other suitable shape, and the central apertures 14 and I5 should be of a shape corresponding to the cross section shape of the tubular core. Thus, if the core is circular in cross section shape, the central aper-fl clude a support member 24 and a clamp 25 which are adapted to engage opposite sidesof the core I I. The support member 24 may be of metal and may be of such a shape as to snugly receive onehalf of the periphery of the core, as seen in Fig. 2. Thus, when the core is rectangular in shape, the support 24 is provided with a recess in the shape of a broad V for receiving the core, the arms of the V being disposed at angles of with respect to each other. equipped with a similar recess for receiving and engaging the other half of the periphery of the core.

As seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the support 24 and clamp 25 may beof a width substantially the same as the distance between the flanges I 2 and I 3 of the core H. The support 24 may be equipped with annular recesses 38 and 39 at the The clamp 25 is into engagement therewith.

. the shaft '2'! to release the clamp 25 from engagement with the core I l.

v A pair of swage heads enlarged rear portions for engagement with The swage heads 28 and inwardly toward their respective ends 32 and 33. The swage heads 28 and 29 may be mounted on so and 2s, equipped with 30 and 3!, are mounted the ends of the core ll.

- suitable plungers for moving the swage heads toinner periphery of the 29 are tapered slightly end portions 34 and 85' to lock the flanges therebetween. v a

The formation of the locking ribs 35 and 31 apparently results from the longitudinal pressure ward the ends of the core and bringing the same The-apparatus includes means for simultane- 'ously bringing the swage heads 28 and 29 into engagement with the ends of the core H in order that the swage heads may simultaneously exert on both ends of the core H an outward pressure and also a pressure toward the longitudinal center of the core. The apparatus also may include means for shifting the position of the clamp 25. This latter apparatus may be synchronized with the mechanism for, moving the swage heads so that the clamp is brought into engagement with the core ll immediately before the swage heads are brought into engagement with the ends of the core and the clamp 25 is released from engagement with the core I I when the swage heads are released from engagement with the end of the core.

Any suitable apparatus such, for example, as the apparatus described in Seever Patent No. 2,249,983, may be used for this purpose. Preferably, positive means, such as a conventional hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, may be substituted for the spring means shown in the Seever patent for bringing the clamp 25*into engagement with the core H and for releasing the clamp from such engagement.

In the forming of the bobbin, the core II, with the flanges I2 and I3 on the ends thereof, is placed on the support 24, with the support engaging the entire periphery of the lower half of the central portion of the core between the flanges and spaced inwardly therefrom. The clamp 25 is then brought into engagement with the entire upper half of said central portion of the core, and the swage heads 28 and 29 are simultaneously brought into engagement with the opposite ends of the core Ii.

The swage heads 28 and 29 exert pressure on the ends of the core II, the pressure being outward and also being toward the longitudinal center of the core along a line parallel with the axis of the core. When the swage heads exert pressure on the ends of the core, the ends of the core are turned outwardly, as seen at 34 and 35, and at the same time the longitudinal pressure exerted on the ends of the core causes the formation of the ribs 35 and 31 in the portions of the core between the flanges 'l2 and I3 and the adjacent sides of the portions of the support 24 and clamp 25 engaging the core II. The ribs 36 and 31 will normally extend entirely about the periphery of thecore' and serve with the swaged on the paper core. The support 24 and clamp 25 tightly engage the central portion of the core to prevent outward expansion thereof. Simultaneously, the flanges l2 and I3 engage the portions immediately adjacent the swaged ends 34 and 35, The only portions, therefore, in which the ribs may be formed are those which are between the flanges I2 and I3 and the support 24 and clamp 25. This outward expansion or bulge in the core is suflicient to prevent the adjacent flange from passing thereover and thus locks the flange against movement away from the end of the core.

The recesses 38,89, 40 and 4| permit the for-- mation of a rib about the periphery of the core ll immediately adjacent the flanges l2 and IS. The sides of the support 24 and clamp 25, which are outward of said recesses, as illustrated, may be in engagement with the inner sides of the flanges or, if desired, may be spaced slightly away from the flanges. If the sides of the support 24 and clamp 25 engage the sides of the flanges, then upon the swaging' operation the flanges will be slightly distorted. Since the flanges will normally be made of a material which possesses a, certain amount of resilience, the removal of the support 24 and clamp 25 will permit the flanges to spring back to their original position. If the sides of .the support 24 and clamp 25, which are outward of the recesses, are spaced slightly away from the flanges, the flanges will not be distorted by the swaging operation. However, in this instance, the support 24 and clamp 25 should be centered with respect to the body of the core between the flanges l2 and 13 before the swaging operation takes place.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, such description isfor the purpose of illustration only. It will, therefore, be understood that changes and modifications may be readily made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of forming bobbins and the like, comprising placing at each end of a tubular core a centrally-apertured flange with the core snugly received within the aperture in the flange, supporting against outward expansion the central portion of the \core disposed between said flanges and spaced therefrom, and by exerting pressure on each of said ends urging said ends toward the longitudinal center of the core and driving said core outwardly into the spaces between said central portion and said flanges thereby forming a rib in the core between said central portion and each of said flanges and also forming swaged ends to lock the flanges on the core.

2. A method of forming bobbins and the like, comprising placing on each end of a tubular paper core a centrally-apertured flange with the core received snugly within the aperture in said flange, applying to the central portion of the core between the flanges and spaced therefrom means for engaging and supporting against outward expansion substantially the entire periphery of said portion of the core, and. by' exerting pressure on each of said ends urging said ends toward the longitudinal center of the core along the axis of the core and driving said core outwardly into the spaces between said central portion and said flanges thereby forming a rib in the core between said central portion and each of said flanges and also looking the flanges on the core.

3. A method of forming bobbins and the like, comprising placing on each end of a laminated tubular paper core a centrally-apertured flange with the flange corresponding in cross section shape to'the cross section shape of the endof the core and with the core being snugly received within the aperture in the flange, applying to a portion of the core between said flanges and spaced only Slightly therefrom means for engaging and supporting against outward expansion substantially the entire periphery of said portion of the core, simultaneously bringing swage heads having enlarged rear portions into engagement with the opposed ends of the core, and by urging each of said swage heads against the adjacent core end exerting on the end of the core pressure toward the longitudinal center of the core along a line parallel to the axis of the core and driving said core outwardly into the spaces between said portion and said flanges, thereby forming a rib extending transversely about the periphery of the rib between each of said flanges 5 and the portion of the core engaged by said means and also swaging the ends of the core outwardly to lock the flanges on the core.

4. Apparatus of the character described for forming bobbins and the like, comprising a core 30 support receiving the central longitudinal portion of a laminated paper tubular core, a pivot adapted to confine the core thereon, said clamp having an annular recess adjacent the junction 35 core and leaving free and unengaged the flange carrying end portions, plungers aligned with said core on opposite sides of said support, swage heads having enlarged rear portions carried by said plungers and adapted ,to enter said core and exert on said end edgeportions of the core outward pressure and pressure toward the longitudinal center of the core along a line parallel with the axis thereof, and means for bringing said heads simultaneously into engagement with the ends of said core.

5. Apparatus of the character described for forming bobbins and the like, comprising clamping means for engaging the central tubular portion of the bobbins between the end flangesthereof to support saidftubular portion against outward expansion, said clamping means having an annular recess adjacent the juncture of said end flanges and said tubular portion, and swage heads having enlarged rear portions adapted to enter the ends of the tubular portion of the bobbins and to exert on the ends of this portion outward pressure and pressure toward the longitudinal center of this portion. i

6. A method of forming bobbins and the like, comprising placing on each end of a tubular paper core a centrally-apertured flange with the core received snugly within the aperture in said flange, supporting the core centrally between said flanges while leaving free spaces immediately adjacent the Junctions between said flanges ally-mounted clamp above said support and and said core, and swaging the ends of said] core to thereby drive said core outwardly into said spaces so as to form ridges engaging the inner side of said flanges. I

WILLIAM F. S'I'AHL. 

